Did you see the northern lights? Photos show lights dancing across southern Ontario

An uncommon phenomenon lit up the skies across southern Ontario on Thursday night, including in Waterloo region where the aurora borealis – also known as the northern lights - shone bright enough to see with the naked eye.

An uncommon phenomenon lit up the skies across southern Ontario on Thursday night, including in Waterloo region where the aurora borealis – also known as the northern lights - shone bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.

According to the Government of Canada, auroras occur when charged particles - electrons and protons - collide with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere. Those collisions produce tiny flashes that fill the sky with colourful light.

The light display was a result of an Earth-facing coronal hole on the sun and solar winds, according to National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA)

On Thursday night these flashes were so bright they were visible across southern Ontario.

People took to social media to share their photos of the phenomenon.

A photo shared on Twitter appears to show the lights above Glenridge Plaza in Waterloo just before 11 p.m.

While the lights were visible in the city, those living in more rural areas were able to see vibrant colours streak across the sky.